Pneumatic apparatus for excavating foundations



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. J. OOQNNOR.

PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR EXOAVATING FOUNDATIONS. No. 285,834. PatentedOop. 2, 1883.

' WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. J. OGONNOR.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

MICHAEL J. o CONNOR, OF HENDERSON,- KENTUCKY.

PNEU M LATlC APPARATUS FOR EXCAVATIVNG FOUNDATlON8.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,834, dated October 2, 1883.

Application filed April 4, 1883. (No model.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, llIICI-IAEL J. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Henderson, in the county of Henderson and State of K' ntucky, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Apparatus for Excavating Foundations; and I do hereby v declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

This my invention relates to improvements in pneumatic apparatus for excavating foundations, the object of which is to provide a series of devices the combination of which will greatly facilitate the removal of mud, stones, and other material from the foundation under the caisson without carrying the same through the air-lock, and also for the supplying of concrete for filling under the caisson after reaching the bottom, all of which is accomplished by means of the severaldevices represented. I attain the above object by the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure '1 is a sectional view of the caisson and shell or tube, showing the bucket and other interior devices. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the shell or tube on a larger scale, showing the bucket and other interior devices. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the shell, showing one of' the doors or openings through which the bucket is filled. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the shell with the bucket removed, showing the head an (1 doors, and alsothe hopper or deflectors. 5 is a top View, showing the bucket, the notched bar, and the set-screws in the shell. Fig. 6 is a top View of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the caisson,

which is made of wood, of the required size and in form as shown in the drawings; and B rep- Fig.

which the material is deposited in thebucket H. When in use the doors F F are held closed by the pressure of air, which is produced by any ordinary mechanical device now in use. The inside of the shell D being open to the outer air,

the bucket H-is then lowered until the ring or the pressure within the shell D becomes equalto that in the air-chamber C the doors F F are then opened and the bucket H is filled with the material or stones. The doors F F are then closed, The set-screws K K K are then withdrawn, and the bucket H is hoisted out by means of a wire rope attached to the staple N. The bucket H is prevented from striking the sides of the masonry by means of the notched bar O,working on the slides or guide-bars Q Q, and when it reaches the. top is turned or dumped by a tripline hooked into the eyebolt R. The deflectors P P are intended to prevent the mud from sticking in the top of the bucket H;

V A is a valve to be used when it becomes necessary to remove water from the shell D by allowing it to run into the bucket H.

S S are bosses on the outside of the shell D, to receive the set-screws K K, for holding down the bucket H.

U is a hand-hole through which mud is removed which falls into the shell D; but it is at all times closed when in use.

V is a cock to let water out of the shell, which may leak into it. v

B are guides for keeping the bucket H in its proper position as it passes up and down.

When this device is used as a supply-shaft for filling under the caisson when sunk, as shown in Fig. 4, the bucket H is removed and the hopper or deflectors Z and head A put in place. This head A has an opening, C, in the center, which is provided with a hinged door, D, which is rendered air-tight by means of a gum gasket on its face, and can be closed from above by means of the rope Y, attached to the ring E"; and F F are the doors for discharging the material into the caisson or chamber 0-.

In order to use this device as a supplyshaft, the doors F F are first closed and held firmly by the compressed air in the chamber 0, which is provided by any of the known devices now in use, and the door D is opened. The space between them is partially filled with the materials, when the door D is closed and the compressed air admitted from the chamber by means of a suitable cook or Valve, XV, and when the pressure becomes equal in the shell D and chamber 0 the doors F F open by the weight of the material, which drops out into the airchamber 0, after which the doors F Fare closed and the compressed air in the shellD permitted to escape by means of a cook or otherwise, when. door D will drop open,ready for receiving another charge. Therefore,

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, in a pneumatic apparatus for excavating foundations, is

1. The bucket H, having the ring or cover I and deflectors P P, and the shell D, having the ring J, set-screws ICK, doors F F, and equalizing-cock L, as above described, in combination with the notched bar 0, staple N, and slides Q Q, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The head A, air-tight door D, and rope Y, as above described, combined with the deflectors Z, doors F F, and shell D, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

FRANK Rumor, G150. D. LEE. 

